The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-01
PRICE FIVE GEMS.
BETSY AT THE SHOW.
She Finishes Her Piedmont Ex-
position Story.
KNEE DEEP IN MUD BUT LOTS OF FUN.

ATLANTY, Georgy, October Goth, 1871
agreed to tell you how we 'uns seed the presi-
dent under difficulties.
When we riz n Wednesday mornin' it was o
pourin' down rain.
we knowed in reason, rain or shine, 1t was o
gwine to be the biggest day of the exposition,
on account of the sham battle to be fit at
the grounds, and the president and his wife
bein' thar. Rain never set none of our gang
back.
After breakfast it het up and never rained
no more tel II or II O'Clock.
We hated monsous bad to git our new Sun
day hats wet, but we couldn't miss seem of
the president. We done bought our railroad
tickets the day before, and aimed to
go out on the kars, but the
crowd from the kar shed plum to the exposi-
ton depot under Broad bridge was so thick
they couldn't hardly move, and we knowed in
reason If we got wedged in amongst 'em il
mought take us nearly all day to git thar,
and we'd miss a seein' of the president and
his wife and the sham battle and everything
else, so | says TO Caledony and tother gals, says
|, less all go on the street kar," and
we made break for Peachtree street, and
lowed TO go out piece and ketch a empty kar
a-comin' back; thought mebbe nobody else
wouldn't think about dom that and made
shore we could git seats, but its like pap says,
"They haint nobody so smart but somebody
else is q little smarter" Them empty kars
was all full Folks walked q mile and rid back
to git seat. We'uns KEEP gwine, hopin we'd
kctch kar, tel we got over half way, and
never met nar'n that wasn't so full Their wasn't
room enough left for a bob tail fee We wasn't
by ourselves; tho sidewalk fur as You could see
before you and behind you was thick with
folks a-walllin'.
The road was full OF ever kind of thing to
ride in, from u fine carriage down to
one-horse dray and coal cart
incest kinder folks hikcd up in
coal Vaughn. A man with o kivered
Vaughn and two mules was fetchin' of load
of turnips to town some of that walkin crowd
met him and axed him what he'd take for the
whole load and bought it, pitched the turnips
out On side of the road, jumped in the Vaughn
and went to the fair grounds.
We seed Colonel Avery and his little SON
dressed as fine as a fiddle iist from Washing
ton city a settin' up on a rough old dray-and
they was happy.
In all that big crowd, and as wet and muddy
as it WAS we never seed drunk man, and ever
body was jolly and lively as ducks in pond.
They started out for frolic, was bent on
havin' fun in spite Of rain, mud or anything
else. Women would look dowftrRt thor wAe
dresses oil full OF mud and laugh ft % M NJ
they selves. Thngsthey would CT cried . 'n ~.
any other time seemed TO tickle en- "a y ~
that day. The thought of seein the preside.
put 'em all i'll good hunor.
We never had but one chance TO ride; we
hollered at his mules "Whoa, Beckl Whoa,
Lize W-w-whoa-ahl WHOM, Lizel IF, eff
eff you all whi-whi-whi folks wants to ride
t-t-take you dar fer, fer, fer fifty cents"
But we was nearly thar then and didn't
have no fifty cents to give no-how.
But laws, you had orter seed the crowds OF
muddy folks that piled in that old dirty Vaughn
and paid fifty cents to ride a hundred yards
We wasn't nigh rs tired when we got thar
that day MS we was on Monday
when we stood n hour or two wedged In a
crowd q waitin' for the train. We was iammed
in amongst some old women and couldn't git
our hands to the top OF our heads, and COULDN'T
hardly ketch our breath. The crowd behind
MS showed and we moved about one step min
ute, and Cousin Pink lack to tainted.
Plenty OF 'em did faint and had to be tuck
odt to the air, and more of EN- would er faint
/ jist told 'em a Wednesday didn't low to
git into nair nuther SIGH snap; ] druther walk
as to stand. But laws would you believe it,
them very same iainty woinen was thar agin
on Wednesday, hey drGtltr ia nj as TO miss
SEEM OF the pres dent, and some OF EN- would
or tainted if the h an't got to seed him.
-, We went in the gate behind The grand stand.
The military companies was all III the big race
track ring q gittn' ready for the
sham battle and waiting to sec
tho president. Folksw was standin' 50 thick
together the companies never had no room to
drill. Tho hills outside OF the grounds was
black with folks, the whole face OF the yeth
'peared 10 be alive. never seed as many be-
couldn't miss no body ont or town then.
That grand stand holds twenty-five thou
sand and it was chock full and the platform at
the top crowded with folks that had been a
standin thar for hours not a seem OF nothln',
but wouldn't git out. Our gang went up the
back steps OF the stand and in few minutes
We knowed by the shouts and screams and
seed folks all a runnin that the president and
his wife was comm SO we stood still. The
carriage had to come right close to whar we
Wa3, and we got a good look ut en-. Lots
Of folks rushed up TO the carriage
and tried to shake hands with
,em, but they done quit a-shakin OF hands.
They say Mis- Cleyeland's done shuck hands so
much tel her arms putty nigh out'n Jint, and
her ole man made her quit 1t.
They had six gray horses a-pullin' OF that
carriage, and 1T was klVered al over with
flowers, even TO the wheels. They drv on
around in front of the grand stand, and
everybody riz 10 they feet and hollered. hearn
u old oman away down in the crowd say in a
pitiful tone: Claws laws, folks mout set down.
/ can't see nothin'; / as well be in Pickens
Gud ytboucht u her s"V WASN'T 5otbn in pekens